System of refrigeration and/or freezing appliances

ABSTRACT

A system of refrigerator units and/or freezer units of different widths, in particular a system of built-in refrigerator units and/or freezer units, is provided with the appliances having a carcass as well as a coolant circuit, parts of the carcass and/or of the refrigeration circuit being made identically in appliances of different widths and the system including at least two different sets of appliance side walls for the width compensation.

The invention relates to a system of refrigerator units and/or freezer units of different widths, in particular to a system of built-in refrigerator and/or freezer units.

Built-in refrigerator and/or freezer units always require an appliance housing in which the unit should be received. They are essentially known in two different embodiments. One distinguishes between built-in appliances with sliding door engineering and built-in appliances with fixed door engineering with respect to the type of units. In sliding door engineering, the kitchen furniture door of the appliance housing has its own hinges. It is only connected to the built-in refrigerator unit by means of a sliding connection. In contrast, the kitchen furniture door is fixedly mounted on the appliance door in fixed door engineering.

Due to this difference, sliding door appliances and fixed door appliances have different appliance widths with the same recess height. The different appliance widths are realized by parts dimensioned differently in dependence on the type of appliance with previously known refrigerator units and/or freezer units. With known refrigerator units and/or freezer units—depending on whether they are sliding door appliances or fixed door appliances—there are the following differences with the same recess height: transverse connection at the bottom, transverse connection at the top, middle transverse connection, side wall at the left and at the right, inner door, outer door, door foamed, compressor recess, condenser, board rear wall and top, appliance top, board base and foam angle. The different appliance types furthermore require different side wall depths with the same built-in depth in the prior art.

The FIGS. 5 to 8 show such previously known appliances of the prior art sectionally, with the respective left hand representations relating to sliding door appliances and the respective right hand representations relating to fixed door appliances.

FIG. 5 illustrates the region of the front lip for both appliance types. The dimensions given in this Figure and in all further Figures are only of exemplary nature and serve the illustration of the differences between both appliance types. FIG. 5 illustrates that the appliance width between both appliance types is different (sliding door appliance: 540 mm; fixed door appliance: 557 mm). Both appliance types admittedly have inner containers of identical dimensioning, but differences in the dimensions result with respect to the parts forming the carcass. This applies to the width of the transverse connection, to the width of the side wall lip as well as to the door width and inner door width, as can be seen from FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 illustrates the region of the rear lip and likewise shows that the different appliance widths are also realized by differently dimensioned parts in this region. It results from FIG. 6 that the width of the condenser, of the wide wall lip and of the compressor recess as well as the side wall depth are different in dependence on the appliance type.

FIG. 7 shows the region of the upper lip. It results from this Figure that the appliance top or the board top as well as the upper transverse connection vary in their dimensions in dependence on the width of the appliance, i.e. in dependence on the appliance type.

FIG. 8 finally shows the region of the lower lip. Different widths of the board base as well as of the side wall lips result from this in dependence on the appliance type.

A disadvantage in such appliances known from the prior art is the variety of parts to be kept available for the different appliance types. The keeping available of numerous differently dimensioned parts has a disadvantageous effect on the development effort, manufacturing effort and logistical effort associated therewith and thus reduces productivity.

It is the object of the invention to further develop a system of refrigerator units and/or freezer units of different widths such that the system can be made available with a comparatively low number of different parts.

This object is solved by a system having the features of claim 1. Accordingly, provision is made for parts of the carcass and/or of the refrigerator circuit to be made identical in appliances of different widths and for the system to include at least two different sets of appliance side walls by means of which the width compensation is realized. Further parts of the appliance can be used in identical embodiments for differently wide appliances by such a design of the side walls of the appliances. Differently wide appliances, such as sliding door appliances and fixed door appliances, can preferably be realized by the use of only two side wall sets (side wall at the left and side wall at the right), with the variety of parts being reduced and productivity being increased due to the use of identical parts of the carcass and/or of the refrigerator circuit. Parts of the carcass are to be understood as any parts which surround the inner container such as the transverse connection, appliance top, etc.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the width compensation is realized in that the side walls lips have different widths.

Different parts of the appliances, which varied in their dimensions in previously known appliances, can be used in accordance with the invention in identical embodiments for different appliance types.

It is, for example, conceivable that the appliances of the system have identical transverse connections. This can apply to the upper, lower and/or middle transverse connections.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the appliances of the system to have identical doors in some or all cases. It is conceivable that the doors have identical inner doors and/or outer doors or that identical foamed doors are provided.

Provision is made in a preferred embodiment of the invention for the appliances of the system to have identical compressor recesses.

The identity of the usable parts is not restricted to the carcass. Components of the coolant circuit can also advantageously be used in identical embodiments. Provision is preferably made for the appliances of the system to have identical condensers.

Provision can furthermore be made for the appliances of the system to have identical board rear walls and/or board tops and/or appliance tops and/or board bases and/or foam angles. It is also possible for the appliances of the system to have identical appliance bases.

As already stated above, the differently wide appliances can be fixed door appliances or sliding door appliances.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing:

There are shown:

FIGS. 1-4: different detailed representations of refrigerator units in accordance with the invention; and

FIGS. 5-8: different detailed representations of refrigerator appliances in accordance with the prior art.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show sliding door appliances made in accordance with the invention (respective left hand representation) and fixed door appliances made in accordance with the invention (respective right hand representation). The dimensions set forth in these Figures represent exemplary indications and are not limiting.

FIGS. 1 shows the region of the front lip in the sectional representation. It becomes clear from this Figure that identical dimensions of the door and of the transverse connection result despite different appliance widths so that correspondingly identical parts can be used. The width compensation, i.e. the realization of the different appliance widths, is achieved in that the width of the side wall lip is made correspondingly differently. In the case of the sliding door appliance, the width of the side wall lip amounts to 18.5 mm and with the fixed door appliance to 27 mm, as can be seen from the Figure. As stated above, they are naturally only exemplary values to which the invention is not limited.

The embodiment of the rear lip in accordance with FIG. 2 illustrates that side walls can be realized which are identical in accordance with the invention. Furthermore, identical compressor recesses can be used for both appliance types due to the different widths of the side wall lips. The identity of the usable parts of the appliance also relates to the components of the refrigerator circuit. As results from FIG. 2, the system in accordance with the invention can be carried out with identical condensers so that the variety of parts is also thereby reduced.

FIG. 3 shows the region of the upper lip and illustrates that identical upper transverse connections and appliance tops can be used despite different appliance widths. Finally, it results from FIG. 4, which shows the region of the lower lip, that identical board bases can be used for both appliance types due to different widths of the side wall lips.

The invention was shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 with respect to one side of the appliance. The dimensioning of the side wall in accordance with the invention is preferably realized on both sides of the appliance.

In addition to the parts shown, a base (injected, sheet metal, etc.) is conceivable in the base region which is used for different appliances in identical construction.

It results in summary that identical parts for fixed door appliances and sliding door appliances can be used due to the use of preferably only two different side wall sets (side wall to the left and side wall to the right) with the same recess height. The variety of parts is thereby reduced and the productivity is increased. 

1. A system of refrigerator units and/or freezer units of different widths, in particular a system of built-in refrigerator units and/or freezer wherein units, wherein the appliances have a carcass as well as a coolant circuit, parts of the carcass and/or of the refrigeration circuit are made identically in appliances of different widths; and the system includes at least two different sets of appliance side walls for the width compensation.
 2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the width compensation is realized by different widths of the side wall lips.
 3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances are sliding door appliances or fixed door appliances.
 4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances of the system have identical transverse connections.
 5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein it is the upper, lower and/or middle transverse connection.
 6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances of the system have identical doors in some or in all cases.
 7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the doors have identical inner doors and/or outer doors.
 8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances of the system have identical compressor recesses.
 9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances of the system have identical condensers.
 10. A system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the appliances of the system have identical board rear walls and/or board tops and/or appliance tops and/or board bases and/or foam angles.
 11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the appliances of the system have identical appliance bases.
 12. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the appliances are sliding door appliances or fixed door appliances.
 13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the appliances of the system have identical transverse connections.
 14. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the appliances of the system have identical transverse connections.
 15. A system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the appliances of the system have identical transverse connections.
 16. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein it is the upper, lower and/or middle transverse connection.
 17. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein it is the upper, lower and/or middle transverse connection.
 18. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein it is the upper, lower and/or middle transverse connection.
 19. A system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the appliances of the system have identical doors in some or in all cases.
 20. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the appliances of the system have identical doors in some or in all cases. 